Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said he was “still in shock over the traumatic events” of being handcuffed on a flight to California.
Davis, a two-time Super Bowl champion, was flying with his wife and three children from Denver to Orange County on a United Airlines flight on Saturday when his son asked for ice during drink service, he said in an Instagram post. When the flight attendant did not comply with his request, Davis said he “calmly reached back and tapped my son on the arm.” The flight attendant allegedly yelled “don’t hit me,” left the drink cart and walked toward the front of the plane. Davis said he and other passengers were confused.
“I didn’t think anything of it other than that this employee was incredibly rude and the accusation that I hit him was patently false,” he said. “I never met or interacted with him during the flight.”
The former NFL MVP said the pilot told everyone to remain in their seats when the plane landed, then six FBI and law enforcement agents boarded the plane and handcuffed him.
“Officers then handcuffed me and escorted me off the plane, filmed by several passengers, as I was removed from the plane,” Davis said. “I felt, and still feel, humiliated, embarrassed, powerless and angry.”
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Authorities confirm Terrell Davis case
Davis said she was taken into custody by authorities and questioned, after which “investigators correctly determined that the flight attendant’s allegations were inaccurate, and they apologized deeply and offered to assist me and my family in any way they could.”
A spokesperson for the FBI and John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, where the plane landed, confirmed the incident to USA Today Sports.
“FBI agents and law enforcement partners at John Wayne Airport in Orange County responded to a report of an incident that occurred on board a flight that required further investigation. One individual was detained for questioning but was cooperative with law enforcement and released to continue their trip,” spokespeople for both agencies said in a statement.
Davis added that he had not heard anything from United but refused to remain silent about “this egregious misconduct and deplorable treatment by United Airlines.”
“Nothing can undo the traumatic experience of my two sons, my daughter and my wife watching me being handcuffed without any due process or explanation,” Davis said.
United Airlines apologises for incident
United Airlines apologized for the incident in a statement to USA Today Sports, and the flight attendant involved has been removed from duty pending an investigation into the incident.
“Clearly this is not the travel experience we strive to provide. We have reached out to Davis’ team and apologized,” United said in a statement.
He added that his legal team from the law firm of Stinner, Gould, Grieco & Hensley will be in contact with United Airlines to request an investigation into the flight attendant. In a statement to USA Today Sports, Parker Stinner of the law firm said his legal team plans to investigate the incident and has been in contact with United Airlines.
“Mr. Davis’ statement speaks for itself and we can all agree that no one should ever suffer this kind of injustice and humiliation, especially in front of his children and wife,” Stinner said.
Davis played seven seasons with the Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2001. He was a star in Denver, winning the NFL MVP in 1998 and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1996 and 1998. He was part of the winning teams in Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII and was named Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXXII. He is the Broncos’ franchise leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
